Play & Plant
Toy Design
A biodegradable toy that transforms as the child grows older.
Project Type
Individual, Studio Class
Time
15 weeks
Semester
5, Fall 2022
Approximately 80% of all toys end up in landfills, incinerators, or the ocean.
Tansy Robertson-Fall
How might we design a children's toy that reduces toy waste?
Research
Literature Insights
Product design can reduce the impact on hotspots discovered in the product's life cycle using knowledge-based solutions and heuristics.
One of the proposed design solutions to improve product disposal was the use of biodegradable materials.
Sources:
1. Sustainable product design: A life-cycle approach
Contributors: Xiang Zhang, Lei Zhang, Ka Yip Fung, Bhavik R. Bakshi, Ka Ming Ng
2. Circular Economy in the Chemical and Materials Industry
Contributors: The Global Kaiteki Center at Arizona State University,
Rob and Melani Walton Sustainability Solutions Service (ASU), The Sustainability Consortium (ASU), Luminosity Lab (ASU), The Ohio State University (OSU)
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Research
Parent Interview Insights
parents involve their child in outdoor yard/garden maintenance
parents say their child maintain the skills they learn from toys
parents say their child enjoys spending time with nature
Children lose interest in toys quickly
Children enjoy unstructured learning
Durability and developmental benefits are the main considerations when purchasing toys
Research
Hemp Biodegradability Experiment
I tested:
Biodegradability rate of 2 weights of hemp fabric
Plant growth ability in hemp fabric
Start date: 9/18/2022
End date: 11/18/2022
Methods:
-Indoor planter on counter
-Indoor planter in window
-Outdoor planter
Each planter has:
-Control seeds
-2.8oz hemp square with seeds -4.6oz hemp square with seeds
Results
Biodegradation
Early Concept Ideation
"Play & Plant" Concept
In the early years the toy will serve as a pretend play toy where the child plants soft toys into a planter.
When the child grows up, they can plant the soft toys which will biodegrade and grow into plants.
Form Development
Large Planter Concepts
Large scale toys tend to last longer in the household, so I ideated some large scale planter forms
Single Planter Concepts
These were meant to be simple and portable, allowing for more users to have access to the product
Multi-Planter Concepts
These were made to be slightly larger than the single planters, but more engaging with more components
Selected Form
Stage 1: Ages 3-5
Open lid and collect toys
Pretend "plant" the soft toys
Play around with the different pieces
Store toys in planter when play is over
Stage 2: Ages 6+
Disassemble fabric "soil" and place at the bottom of the planter
Gather gardening supplies
Fill planter with toys and soil
Water and watch them grow
Reuse planter